


PS 3505 
.05375 
H6 
1922 
Copy 1 



THE 



nOLY NIGHT 



A Christmas Masque 



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By FLORENCE CONVERSE 



THE 

HOLY NIGHT 

By 
FLORENCE CONVERSE 



A Masque to be Performed 

by Young Children at 

Christmas-Tide 



BOSTON 

THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY PRESS, Inc. 

1922 






Copyright, 1922, by 
The Atlantic Monthly Press, Inc. 



OCT -9 72 

©CI.A6S3596 



THE HOLY NIGHT 

Persons of the Masque 

Mary — She shall be a little maiden , fair-haired, 
and her gown shall be white, covered over with a 
long hooded cloak, sky blue. The hood she wear- 
eth about her face. 

Joseph — He is a sturdy lad in a rough gown, long 
and brown. In his hand he holdeth a carpenter's 
wooden mallet; at his girdle do hang three iron 
nails, very large. Joseph hath a grizzled head, 
which may be powdered. 

The Holy Child — This may be a little figure of 
wax or porcelain, fashioned very delicately. 

The Three Shepherds — They be three little lads, 
wearing short gowns of a light tanned color, and 
mantles of sheeps' skins; but if these be not con- 
venient, they may wear cloaks of cotton-flannel, 
unbleached. And they must carry shepherds' 
crooks. 



The Three Wise Men — These shall be three boys 
of divers ages. The one which is Melchior shall 
be fourteen years of age, or thereabout. He shall 
go bent, on a staff, with a beard flowing as far as 
to his waistband, and yet farther. This beard 
shall be white cotton, and tied about his chin. In 
his hand he beareth a crown of bright gold, or 
that appeareth like gold, which he shall give to 
The Holy Child. 

The other king, which is Balthasar, shall be of a 
swarthy countenance, or even a young negro, if 
such an one be at hand. Ten years of age shall he 
be. In his hand he lifteth up the box of ointment. 

Now Caspar is the most youngest of these three 
kings. He is a little lad of eight years, and walk- 
ing he swingeth a censer. And all they three be 
turbaned as to their heads, and richly clad in 
long robes, and girded with a sash. 

The Angels — All the little girls and young maidens 
shall be Angels. Their robes are white, long, 
and there are no sleeves ; and crosswise on the 
breast be two bands of braided gold, narrow, and 
underneath a girdle of a third narrow band, a 
high girdle. These Angels' wings shall be tall, 
pointed, and white, or else golden. 



The Cock — He weareth a yellow vest, made to be 
rounded out with a little pillow beneath. A red 
coat he weareth, and the sleeves of this be cut and 
sewn after such a fashion that when he flappeth 
his arms these make a semblance of wings. And 
a green tail he weareth, which is made with many 
strips of cambric curved by wires and caught in a 
clustering knot. 

He hath a black cap, and on the top of this 
there standeth upright a cock's comb, bright red. 
Over his nose he weareth a sharp beak, but his 
mouth remaineth uncovered, that he may speak 
the more easily. Yellow are his stockings, and 
his shoes cut in three points on the toe. But 
at his heels there is a long spur. And if any 
little boy have very fat legs, he shall not play 
the part of the cock. 

The Raven — This is a black bird. His tail stand- 
eth out stiff behind him. His beak is very long. 
His wings he must spread very wide when he 
will. Let him have black hair. 

The Lamb — He lieth on the ground beside the 
Shepherds. He weareth a sheep 's skin, or a 
white coat, and a little tail that he may frisk by 
a string what time he bleateth. 



The Ox and the Ass — These two be only heads of 
pasteboard, which do lean out of window. It 
needs but one boy that shall speak for them twain, 
and nod the head of the Ox and wag the Ass his 
ears. 



And now beginneth the Masque to Play 

7^ HE Stage appeareth so and so: To the one side 
there may be the gable end of a little shed. This 
hath a door that shall open down its mid-length 
when the time appointed is come. Above \ on the gable ', 
sitteth an Angel ; wherefore this framework needs be 
stout builded. To the one side and the other of the 
door Angels stand likewise. All these three have a 
face as of one that waiteth, thinking his own thoughts; 
neither are they observed of the Shepherds nor of the 
Beasts. In that side of the shed most near the front of 
the stage shall be a little window \ and the Ok and the 
Ass look forth. Over against this shed a little mound 
riseth up — and mayhap it is made of sand — and 
on this the Cock is perched, who anon doth rake with 
his toes in the sand, anon he pecketh at the Raven, 
which walketh sedate about the heap of sand, or rest- 
eth still with his head covered underneath his wing in 
the seemly fashion of his kind. But ere long he 
must walk again. Now, midway betwixt this little 
shed and this mound ', and in the front of the stage, 
the Shepherds lie on the ground, and their Lamb 
with them. And the Shepherds sing. 



THE SHEPHERDS' SONG 

King David was a shepherd lad, 
A ruddy countenance he had, 
He harped for Saul when Saul was sad. 
Alleluia! 

He slew the lion and the bear; 
No hungry beast henceforth may dare 
Draw nigh the flock in David's care. 
Alleluia! 

A shepherd reigned in Israel, 
A shepherd reigned, our fathers tell, 
A shepherd reigned, and all was well. 
Alleluia! 

King David's greater Son shall reign, 
Shall reign and triumph yet again, 
And lead the nations in his train. 
Alleluia! 

O Shepherds, now rejoice, and weep! 
This Shepherd-King, His flock to keep, 
Shall lay His life down for the sheep. 
Alleluia! 




The Tlay 



The Cock (he flappeth his wings and crieth) — 
Cock-a-doodle-doo ! Cock-a-doodle-doo ! 

The Ox (he noddeth his head) — Ooooee! Ooooee! 

The Raven (he spreadeth his two broad wings) — 
Cawn! Cawn! 

First Shepherd — What a clatter do these 
beasts make! 

The Ass (he waggeth one ear and the other alter- 
nate) — Haw-Hay ! Haw-Hay ! 

The Lamb (he maketh his little tail to frisk) — 
Ba-a-a! 

Second Shepherd — ■ And thou too, silly one! 
Go to sleep! 



fA 

%fi^ Third Shepherd — My Grandam saith that 
one day the beasts shall speak. 

Second Shepherd — When? 

Third Shepherd — 'Tis but a tale of my Gran- 
dam. 

First Shepherd — Tell it! 

Second Shepherd — Yea; tell it! The night 
is long. 

The Ass — Haw-Hay! Haw-Hay! 

Third Shepherd — My Grandam saith, that 
night Messias is born, all the beasts shall speak. 
'T was a wise woman told her. 

Second Shepherd — When think you Messias 
shall be born? 

First Shepherd — Not in our time, I trow. 
Shall not hap in our time but these heavy taxings. 

Second Shepherd — Grumble not — 't is a 
good year with the sheep. 

The Lamb — Ba-a-a! 

The Three Angels (they put the finger to the lip 
and say) — Hush-sh ! 

Third Shepherd (he speaketh soft) — Heard you 
not a voice? What was 't? 






The Three Angels — Hush-sh! J fyft 

And for a full minute shall not be any sound in 
that place. Only the Star of Bethlehem shall 
rise, being drawn up on a thread, till it hang 
above the gable of the little shed. Then shall the 
Cock flap his wings and cry in a mighty voice. 

The Cock — Christus natus est ! Christus natus 
est! 

Second Shepherd — Hark you! The bird 
spake ! 

First Shepherd — And in the Roman tongue. 

Then these Shepherds sit as lost in a maze. 

The Cock — Christus natus est! Christus natus 
est! 

The Raven (he stretcheth his wings) — Quando? 
Quando? 

Third Shepherd — But these be learned fowl! 

The Raven (as he were impatient) — Ouando? 
Quando? 

The Ass (he twirleth one of his ears) — Hac 
nocte! Hac nocte! 



Second Shepherd (he whispereth as it were fear- 
fully to his brethren) — Didst hear the Ass said, 
Messias is born to-night? 

First Shepherd — How shall an Ass know? 

The Cock — Christus natus est ! Christus natus 
est! 

The Raven — Quando? Quando? 

The Ass — Hac nocte! Hac nocte! 

The Ox (he noddeth his head and speaketh slow) — 
Ubi? Ubi? 

Third Shepherd — Yea; where? 

The Lamb — Be-e-e-e-th-le-hem ! Be-e-e-e-th- 
le-hem ! 

Second Shepherd — Nay; I '11 not believe 
that! 

The Cock — Christus natus est ! Christus natus 
est! 

The Raven — Quando? Quando? 

The Ass — Hac nocte! Hac nocte! 

The Ox — Ubi? Ubi? 

The Lamb — Be-e-e-e-th-le-hem! Be-e-e-e-th- 
le-hem ! 



The Three Angels — Alleluia! 

And there is a sound as of many voices of Angels 
which sing unseen — Alleluia! 

The Angel on the Gable {she speaketh to the 
Shepherds) — Fear not; for, behold, I bring you 
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all 
people. For unto you is born this day, in the city 
of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And 
this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe 
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 

The Angels — Alleluia! 

Now immediately are the heavens opened, which 
by-meaneth that there hath been around the back 
and sides of this stage, some two feet separate 
from the wall, a dark curtain, and, this being 
withdrawn, there are disclosed Angels, as 
many as may be, which stand in a long row a 
four foot space from the floor, on a narrow scaf- 
fold builded close by the wall. The Angels be 
garmented like to the three, but they stand close 
one after one: their hands are laid crosswise on 
their breasts and their wings do rise up in points 
folded above their heads. And from henceforth, 
while this Masque dureth, the Angels shall 



stand here, and it is their part to sing l 'Alleluia !" 
But first do they chaunt, immediately the curtain 
is withdrawn. 

The Angels — Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace, good will to men. The people 
that walked in darkness have seen a great light: 
they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, 
upon them hath the light shined. 

For unto us a child is born,unto us a sonisgiven: 
and the government shall be upon his shoulder: 
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, 
The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The 
Prince of Peace. 

Now when the Heavenly Host hath chaunted 
after this fashion, the two Angels beside the 
door of the little shed do fold back the leaves of the 
door. And within are seen Mary and Joseph, 
sitting, and betwixt them two the Holy Child 
lieth on a tuft of straw in a little box which shall 
he called the Manger. 

Mary {she foldeth one against the other her two 
hands and singeth soft to the Holy Child). 

Sleep, little Shepherd-King, 
Sleep while I sing. 



Angels {very soft) — Alleluia! %^ 

Sweet Son, wilt suffer pain? 
King — be not King in vain! 
Conquer and reign! 

Angels {very soft) — Alleluia! 

Shepherd — Thy flock wilt keep? 
Fall not in death asleep; 
Stay with the sheep! 

Angels {very soft) — Alleluia! 

My little Lamb, my Son, 
My little Human One, 
Thy will be done. 

Angels {very soft) — Alleluia! 

Sleep, little Shepherd-King, 
Sleep while I sing. 

Angels {very soft) — Alleluia! 

The Shepherds draw anear. They kneel one after 
one y in a straight row. 

First Shepherd — Is this Messias? 

Mary — Yea. 

Third Shepherd {he peereth over his brother's 
shoulder) — Born in a stable? 



Second Shepherd — 'T is a shepherd, bethink 
thee. I have slept in a stable full oft; yet -many a 
time had I not even a shed to cover me. I have 
slept 'neath the open sky. 

First Shepherd — And I too. 

Third Shepherd — And I. 

Second Shepherd — If this be King, must He 
not be worshiped? 

Mary — Yea; come nigh! See, He is a very 
child. 

They come yet more close to the door. 
Angels — Alleluia! 

Now the Three Wise Men do enter. Melchior 
is the first; after him cometh Caspar, and 
Balthasar is the last. 

Melchior — What may this place be? 

The Lamb — Be-e-e-e-th-le-hem. 

Angels — Alleluia! 

Balthasar — Where is He that is born King of 
the Jews ? for we have seen His star in the east, and 
are come to worship Him. 



The Cock — Christus natus est! Christus natus 
est! 

The Shepherds (they stand aside out of the door) 
— This is He — this Babe. Come and worship! 

The Three Wise Men (they sing that old hymn, 
"We Three Kings of Orient are" asfolloweth). 

Three Wise Men — 

We three Kings of Orient are; 
Bearing gifts we traverse afar 
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, 
Following yonder star. 

Melchior — 

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain, 
Gold I bring to crown Him again, 
King for ever, ceasing never, 
Over us all to reign. 

Chorus — 

We three Kings, etc. 

Caspar — 

Frankincense to offer have I, 
Incense owns a Deity nigh; 
Prayer and praising, all men raising, 
Worship Him, God most high. 

Chorus — 

We three Kings, etc. 



Balthasar — 

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume 
Breathes a life of gathering gloom; 
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, 
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb. 

Chorus — 

We three Kings, etc. 

Three Wise Men — 

Glorious now behold Him arise, 
King, and God, and Sacrifice! 
Alleluia, Alleluia! 
Earth to the heavens replies! 

Then they do kneel and Mary taketh the gifts and 
layeth thein in the Manger beside the Holy 
Child. 

The Shepherds — Why may we not give 
gifts? 

Caspar — Yea, do so! 

Second Shepherd — What have we, poor 
shepherds? Nothing! 

First Shepherd — I have a little ball; Babe 
likes a ball. 

Third Shepherd — Here have I a bob o' 
cherries, red cherries. Would Babe laugh to see 
the red? 



Second Shepherd — This lamb is my little 
lamb; wilt have him for thy little Lamb, Mother? 
Two lambs, snow-white? 

Now do the Shepherds give these gifts. 

Angels — Alleluia! 

The Angel on the Gable — Joseph! 

Joseph {he cometh out of the door and looketh up) 
— Here am I. 

The Angel on the Gable — Arise, and take 
the young child and His mother, and flee into 
Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; 
for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him. 

Joseph — Well, I must saddle the ass; we go 
away. 

The Ass (he speaketh in surprise and some dis- 
content) — Hac nocte ? 

Joseph — Yea; it must be. We go away. 

The Ox — Ubi? 

Joseph — Into Egypt, the Angel said. 

Mary — But He shall come again to dwell in 
Nazareth. 






The Raven — Quando? 

Mary — That shall be when the Lord willeth. 

The Cock — Christus natus est! Christus natus 
est! 

Now doth Mary arise. Joseph hath his hand on 
the head of the Ass. On the one side of the door 
there stand an Angel and the Three Shep- 
herds, on the other side of the door an Angel 
and the Three Wise Men. 

The Cock standeth still upon his mound, the 
Raven is below. Then do all the Angels, the 
Shepherds, the Wise Men, the Cock, the 
Raven, the Lamb, the Ox, the Ass, Mary, 
Joseph, and all they that do sit in Audience to 
hear this Masque, sing with a loud voice and 
right j°yf u Hy> the first stanza and the third of 
the hymn called "Adeste, Fideles." 



Oh, come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant; 

Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem; 

Come and behold Him, born the King of angels; 

Oh, come, let us adore Him, 

Oh, come, let us adore Him, 

Oh, come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 



Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; 
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above; 
Glory to God in the highest; 

Oh, come, let us adore Him, 

Oh, come, let us adore Him, 

Oh, come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 

And this is the End of the Masque. 

Mark these things: — 

If there be any child that knoweth no Latin, he is to be told that 
Christus natus est signifieth Christ is born, Quando signifieth 
When, Hac nocte signifieth This night, Ubi signifieth Where. 

Now this shall be the music of The Shepherds' Song: the old 
tune, "Oh, Sons and Daughters, Let us sing." 



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